CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Linda Charles Stone once painted a yellow lily blossom with such detail that an onlooker asked what she had glued to the painting, referring to the droplets of water on the bloom's petals. "I told them, 'Look at it closely; it's just paint!'"

Her daughter, Sheila Bias, laughs and describes her mother as "blind as a bat." Stone admits she sometimes uses a flashlight and a magnifying glass to paint because without her glasses her vision is 20/1000.

On a recent visit to her daughter's home, this onlooker would never have known that Stone has any trouble seeing anything. Her images are clear and brilliant, with a depth of color that leaps from the paper.

"I have slight vision impairment," she said, smiling, "so I see colors usually before I see objects. You know, that's where the depth comes from, the push and pull of the color. I just love color. My goal is to communicate my feelings, my love of color and of life experiences to others through my painted images."

Stone's studio and home are in Uneeda, just outside of Madison. Growing up in the southern coalfields limited her exposure to fine art. But after graduating from high school, she moved to Virginia and worked in metropolitan Washington, D.C., where she explored a new world of art. She has honed her skills through classes, workshops and professional training.

"There were times in elementary school, especially around the holidays, when I would deliberately misbehave so the teacher would make me stay in for recess. My punishment was to finish a certain number of colored decorations or cutouts to be placed in the windows and around the room," Stone recalled.

"What punishment! I did not have paints and brushes, so the old-fashioned Christmas coloring books and crayons were my favorite gifts."

Stone spends more time painting since retiring from Boone County schools, where she worked as executive secretary to the superintendent. Her colleagues in the schools system encouraged her artistic endeavors.

"My old boss, Gary Sumpter, the superintendent of schools in Boone County, knew that one of the school board members was redoing the old bank building in Danville. He asked for the old flooring, and made easels out of that beautiful oak," she said. She has a dozen large and three small easels embellished with brass plaques bearing her name.

Stone started with oils in the early 1980s, but it wasn't until she discovered watercolors that her excitement about painting began.

"The late Eleanor Legg of Charleston was of great encouragement to me," Stone said. "She taught me a few beginning techniques in watercolor, but more important than her teaching ability was the confidence she had in my approach to painting. Eleanor talked me into entering my first competition, which was successful. Her response was, 'I told you so.' Anyone who knew Eleanor knows that's exactly what she would have said."

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Linda Charles Stone once painted a yellow lily blossom with such detail that an onlooker asked what she had glued to the painting, referring to the droplets of water on the bloom's petals. "I told them, 'Look at it closely; it's just paint!'"

Her daughter, Sheila Bias, laughs and describes her mother as "blind as a bat." Stone admits she sometimes uses a flashlight and a magnifying glass to paint because without her glasses her vision is 20/1000.

On a recent visit to her daughter's home, this onlooker would never have known that Stone has any trouble seeing anything. Her images are clear and brilliant, with a depth of color that leaps from the paper.

"I have slight vision impairment," she said, smiling, "so I see colors usually before I see objects. You know, that's where the depth comes from, the push and pull of the color. I just love color. My goal is to communicate my feelings, my love of color and of life experiences to others through my painted images."

Stone's studio and home are in Uneeda, just outside of Madison. Growing up in the southern coalfields limited her exposure to fine art. But after graduating from high school, she moved to Virginia and worked in metropolitan Washington, D.C., where she explored a new world of art. She has honed her skills through classes, workshops and professional training.

"There were times in elementary school, especially around the holidays, when I would deliberately misbehave so the teacher would make me stay in for recess. My punishment was to finish a certain number of colored decorations or cutouts to be placed in the windows and around the room," Stone recalled.

"What punishment! I did not have paints and brushes, so the old-fashioned Christmas coloring books and crayons were my favorite gifts."

Stone spends more time painting since retiring from Boone County schools, where she worked as executive secretary to the superintendent. Her colleagues in the schools system encouraged her artistic endeavors.

"My old boss, Gary Sumpter, the superintendent of schools in Boone County, knew that one of the school board members was redoing the old bank building in Danville. He asked for the old flooring, and made easels out of that beautiful oak," she said. She has a dozen large and three small easels embellished with brass plaques bearing her name.

Stone started with oils in the early 1980s, but it wasn't until she discovered watercolors that her excitement about painting began.

"The late Eleanor Legg of Charleston was of great encouragement to me," Stone said. "She taught me a few beginning techniques in watercolor, but more important than her teaching ability was the confidence she had in my approach to painting. Eleanor talked me into entering my first competition, which was successful. Her response was, 'I told you so.' Anyone who knew Eleanor knows that's exactly what she would have said."

Stone prefers 140 cold press Arches paper, which she soaks in a large aluminum tray that Sumpter made for her to hold the large-size paper she prefers. She soaks the paper for a day before she stretches it onto a large board, using tape and staples.

"I can add layer after layer of water and paint to the painting, and it will go right back into shape when it dries, thanks to that extra day of work before I start to paint."

A few years ago, Stone applied for and received a professional development grant from the West Virginia Commission of the Arts. "The grant monies helped greatly. In my final report I told members of the board it was the hardest I had ever worked for that sum of money. If you are willing to work, you will receive help," she said.

"There are particular sales that stand out in our minds from time to time," Stone said. "When I returned home one Saturday evening I noticed numerous calls on the caller ID from the same unknown caller. I called the number. The person who answered told me that a member of her family had just lost her husband. She said the woman had spoken often of my work and one piece in particular that she kept referring to and wishing many times she had bought it.

"The person described the painting and asked if I would sell it, and I said yes. Family members purchased the painting in lieu of flowers and gave it to the lady in honor of her husband. I delivered the painting early on Sunday morning, before services began. It was a special moment I will always remember."

Stone signs her paintings "L. Charles Stone." She explained that she uses her maiden name, Charles, to honor her father who passed away before getting to see her art.

"I think he would have liked that. A couple of times it has been a problem, because people are expecting to see a man. I have considered adding Linda to my signature to cut down on any future misunderstandings," Stone said. "Maybe 2009 will be the year I change it."

Stone's husband, Roger, frames all of her work. "I can be struggling with mats and frames to finish a painting without success," she said. "He walks into the studio and in no time at all he has it all worked out. Several people have wanted him to do their framing, but he has declined. I asked him why and he smiled and said, 'I know how artists can be over small issues, and one is enough.'"

Stone has sold paintings at The Greenbrier resort (in the Greenbrier Homes store as well as in Gibson's, located in the Art Colony). Her works will be exhibited at KOMAX Business Systems, 500 D St., South Charleston, from May through December. She has shown in the gallery at Tamarack and her prints are available there year-round. The West Virginia Coal Association bought prints to give as holiday gifts. Her paintings are included in collections at the University of Charleston, and in many residences, businesses, educational and health facilities and in government offices.

Reach Sara Busse at sara.bu...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1249.